Everybody got the memo, but Nemo was a little like the Spanish Inquisition – no one expected it to be this bad despite all the warnings.

And how could Plymouth merchants really prepare for a weekend blizzard and week of aftermath this far into the red? It was bad enough they lost days of sales as residents and regulars disappeared into homes behind the snowdrifts, and 70 mph gusts lifted trees out of the ground, roots and all. Cash flow ground to a halt and expenses skyrocketed for some businesses forced to take measures to protect their livelihoods from the hurricane-force winds and even battering hail. There were no sick days or benefits to lean on for many merchants forced to close their doors while they waited for power. Some were out shoveling sidewalks Monday morning, while others hunkered down under blankets at home because the power was still down and out for 47 percent of town, as of Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile, in some pockets of Plymouth, business carried on, but not quite as usual, as the seemingly arbitrary nature of who got to have (and keep) power played out around town. Anyone selling coffee hit pay dirt after Friday night when the lights went out and the coffee makers on kitchen counters became about as useful as wisdom teeth.

In Cedarville, hordes flooded into the Blueberry Muffin and, in Sandwich, The Coffee Roost teamed with caffeine-starved clientele who plugged in chargers and reveled in the heated atmosphere. Customers lingered long in such havens, and they winced as they climbed back behind the wheels of their cars headed for home, where freezing temperatures, dark rooms and waterless taps awaited.

Merchants called the storm “epic,” and teenagers called it unprintable things as they hovered over steaming cups of coffee and cocoa and complained about the loss of Internet access.

Powerless seemed a metaphor for post-Nemo Plymouth on so many levels. America’s Hometown was unplugged. The price of all that snow and wind will be dear for many already struggling to stay afloat, as the business of waiting replaced the business of business.